Back in August, I was writing questions for an incredible panel of guests – including the creator of Shokugeki no Soma (Food Wars) – when thought had occurred to me: Megumi and Uraraka from Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia) are a lot alike. Both come from poor families, both want to excel in their profession, and both must struggle against the strongest members of their class. They are also the primary female leads of popular, long-running shonen series and have done a great deal to change the landscape of shonen.
Soon enough, a rather provocative query arose from this comparison: is Megumi Tadokoro a better written Uraraka Ochako?
Before you click away, let me be clear: I love both characters and both series. In early September, I threw up an image of my messy green hair on social media and compared my mop to Deku’s, which has benefitted from some of the best writing in modern anime.
I’m in love with My Hero Academia. And I want to see Uraraka succeed. But the story of Megumi Tadokoro tugs my heart strings in a way I wish Uraraka’s story would continue to do.
And yes, for the sake of an easier read, I will refer to the series by their English names. You can burn me at the stake in the comments.
For anyone less familiar with Food Wars, the series shares much in common with My Hero Academia: Elite, bigger than life academy, star students, and tougher than nails exams and assignments, where merit and hard work define success in their creatively crafted worlds – but always with the looming threat of expulsion for poor performance. Both series believe in the power of hard work and effort, that some are born with privilege, but anybody can find their place in the world if they work hard enough.
I will fully disclaim both series are ongoing, so my opinion on Uraraka’s development might change with future releases. I would love for that to be the case and intend to revisit this piece should my opinion shift.
There will be spoilers for both series. Lots of them. You have been warned.
Who in the world is Uraraka Ochako?